Violin-piano.



J. L. WARNER.-

VIOLIN PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7. 19m

Patented May 7,1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

J. L. WARNER.

VIOLIN PIANO. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7, 1917. 1,265,147, Patented May 7,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- JAMES L. WARNER, 0F GIRARD, KANSAS.

VIOLIN -IPI.A1\TO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 7, 191 8.

Application filed March 7, 1917. Serial No. 153,056.

To all whom itmag concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES L. WARNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Girard, in the county of Crawford and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Violin-Piano, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to violin pianos and is more particularly designed as an improvement upon the structure disclosed in Patent No. 1,015,462, issued tome on January 23, 1912, i The principal object of the invention is to simplify the mechanism of the instrument by providing a combined bow actuating element and rosining device. It has been the practice heretofore to provide one mechanism for operating the bow-. ing eleinentand another means for applying the rosin. This has complicated the structure to an undesirable extent. As before stated, an object of the present invention is to combine these mechanisms, thereby to greatly simplify the structure with out reducing its eificiency but, on the contrary, improving the operation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of a portion of the action of a violin piano such as disclosed in my patent hereinbefore mentioned and showing the present improvements combined therewith.

Fig, 2 is an elevation showing. bowing elements in active position, engaging both the string and the actuating belt.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view partly in elevation and partly in section of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 3, a portion of the belt being shown.

Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the structure shown in Fig, 3. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the means for applying rosin to the belt.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates a key forming apart of the usual keyboard and the same designed to actuate a hammer mechanism indicated generally at 2 and which is of the construction shown in my patent before mentioned or of any other suitableconstruction. This hammer mechanism includes the hammer 3 and a damper l designed alternately to coact with one of the strings 5 of the instrument. The present invention includes an angular finger 6 which is extended from the damper 4: so as to move therewith, this finger being projected between the strings of the instrument and having its free terminal projected upwardly. On this free terminal are arranged spaced collars 7 between which is revolubly mounted a'bowin head 8 made up of a plurality of disks of a construction old in my patent referred to. The bowing head is normally located in a plane extending back of the strings 5. Mounted to work in planes extending in front of thestrings 5 is an endless belt 9 mounted on pulleys 10 which are journaled in suitable brackets 11 carried by the frame of the instrument. This belt may be actuated continuously by any suitable means provided for that purpose. The rear flight'of the belt is supported close to the strings 5 though out of contact therewith while the front flight 0f the belt constantly engages a block 12 of rosin mounted in a holder 13 preferably supported yieldingly by a spring 14 such as shown for example in Fig. i V

A cross strip 15 is arranged under the brackets 11 and constitutes one of the bearings for the pulleys 10. This cross strip is extended throughout the length of the belt and has extended from it at regular intervals a series of guides 16. Each of these guides is contacted at one side by the upwardly extending portion of one of the angular fingers 6, the guides 16 serving to guide these angular fingers in their movement toward the belt 9 and at the same time preventing the fingers from moving to any extent in the direction of movement of the active flight of the belt 9.

It being understood that the belt 9 is constantly operating by an suitable mechanism provided for that purpose, it will be obvious that when the key 1 controlling one of the bowing heads is depressed,the damper head 4 will be shifted out of engagement with the string and during this movement of the head the finger 6 will be likewise shifted so as to bring the bowing head 8 toward the string and into contact therewith. As soon as the bowing head engages the string it also engagesthe moving belt 9 and said belt therefor frictionally engages the bowing head and rotates it and causes said head to vibrate the string and sound it. As the belt is rotating it rubs over the block 12 and this rosin not only gives the required frictional engagement between the belt and the bowing head but also results in the application of rosin to the bowing head so that the string will be properly vibrated thereby. As soon as the-key l is released the damper 4; will move back to its normal position and the bowing head will move away from the string to the position shown in Fig. 1. The guides 16 revent the bowing heads from being pulled out of contact with the strings by that flight of the belt 9 engaging the heads. Obviously by providing mechanism such as described the strings cannot only be sounded by the hammers 3 but can also be sounded by the bowing heads; Mechanism of this character eliminates the separate actuating mechanisms heretofore necessary for the respective bowing heads and also eliminates the separate rosin applying devices, it being possible to use withall of the bowing heads a single actuating belt and a single block of What is claimed is 1. In a violin piano, the combination with a series of strings, damper operating mechanism, and a damper head movable into and out of engagement with a string of the series, of a freely revoluble bowing head movable with and supported by the damper head and normally supported in rear of the series of strings, and a constantly movable element supported in front of the strings and adapted to be engaged by and to rotate the bowing head when the damper is shifted out of its normal position.

I 2. In a violin piano, the combination with a series of strings, damper operating mechanism, and a damper head, of a freely revoluble bowing head movable with and supported by the damper head and normally supported in rear of the series of strings, a continuously moving element extending across the front of the strings, said mecha- Copies of this patent may be obtained. for five cents each, by addressing the a. In a violin piano, a freely revoluble bowing head, a continuously operating actuating element, a string located between the bowing head and the actuating element, a key, means operated by the depression of the key for shifting the bowing head'to simultaneously engage a string and the actuating element, and a guide for the bowing head.

I '5. In a violin piano, a bowing head mounted to freely rotate, an endless belt, a string located between the bowing head and the belt, and out of line with the path of movement of thecenter of the bowing head, a key, means operated by the key for shifting the bowing head against the string and the belt simultaneously. I

6. In a violin piano, a bowing head mounted to freely rotate, an endless belt, a string located between the bowing head and the belt, andout of line with the path of movement of the center of the bowing head, a key, means operated by the key for shifting the bowing head against the string and the belt simultaneously, means for applying rosin to the belt, and means for guidin the bowing head to the string and belt.

7. In a violin piano, the combination with a freely revoluble bowing head, a continuously operating belt, and a string located between the bowing head and the belt, and out of line with the path of movement of the center of the bowing head, of key-operated means for shifting the bowing head to simultaneously engage the string and belt, and means for holding the bowing head to the string during the actuation of said head by the belt.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES L.'WARNER. Witnesses:

J. M. VINCENT, W. K. POTTER.

Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G. 

